


the best things

by tangerinelights



Category: K-pop, Real Person Fiction, Red Velvet (K-pop Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Baby, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fanfiction, Jungri, Kid Kim Yerim | Yeri, Mutual Pining, Park Jimin (BTS) is a Sweetheart, Pining, Pregnancy, Romance, Second Chances, Seulmin - Freeform, Sick Character, Sickfic, jeon jungkook - Freeform, seulgi - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26215108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangerinelights/pseuds/tangerinelights
Summary: Over the years, Yeri has taken an extreme dislike for milk, ginger, and most of all, Jeon Jungkook.
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Yerim | Yeri, Kang Seulgi/Park Jimin (BTS)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	1. 19 words and a cup of coffee

**Author's Note:**

> \- first few chapters are short, but they get longer:))  
> \- @charlislekim on wp!  
> \- @tangerinelights on twt!

Yeri never saw herself as a person who easily becomes irritable.

However, as she stared at the headline typed in big, bold letters on the top of the website (like it was screaming for her attention), she couldn't help but feel her rage flare to life.

**RISING STAR SPOTTED GETTING COFFEE IN LOCAL CAFE IN THE STATES. IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA?**

She clicked on the link and was brought to an article that displayed a blurry snapshot, so unclear that she could almost make out the individual pixels of a man handing money to a worker. The more she looked at the picture the more her blood boiled and her teeth snapped and her eyes twitched.

19 words on a screen and a cup of coffee. Two fucking years of nothing, and the first thing the asshole does when he shows his face to the world again is to get fucking coffee and get caught by the paparazzi.

Fuck him.

She exited the page before she got a heart attack from the strain her poor heart was going through as her hormones kicked and protested. Leaning back into her comfortable rolling chair, she closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing.

Her day had been exceptionally great. After a few sleepless nights, she had finally woken up in the morning without any distractions. A quick breakfast of avocado and toast later (a luxury meal considering her typical breakfast was dry cereal and water) and she was driving to her little bookstore (that was also a foster home for cats) in the perfectly sunny weather: chilly air, clear blue sky, and no hint of humidity that was an usual occurrence in her city. Greeted with the adorable meows and purrs of kittens and cats, she had blissfully settled into her office and started the day's work. Some debt to pay off, an adoption to file, and sweet rice cakes from Seulgi, her best friend and assistant: everything was going great.

Until lunch break started and she had stupidly stumbled across the article that made her eyes literally cross.

Yeri rarely got mad, but when she did, she was the type to show her temper. Shredded paper, ticking eyelid, and flaming red cheeks: all evidence that pointed to her absolute hatred for a man who went by Jeon Jungkook.

"Calm down," she muttered as she massaged her nose bridge. "Don't let him make you mad again. It's not worth it. Especially since it's been two years, damn it. There's no point in being this angry. Move on."

Normally, she would've definitely forgotten her grudge with that technique, especially since she didn't like to make a big deal out of nothing. However, this time, her anger was a fire that slowly devoured the forest, but she had nothing to fight the fire except for oxygen.

That man had the audacity to show up like that without even a word of warning for her. Granted, she wasn't selfish nor narcissistic, expecting to be the first contact on a person's phone. However, considering their brief, but life-changing history, any decent human being could lift their fingers and send one fucking message

And Yeri knew just how easy it was to send one message. After all, she had sent approximately fifty voicemails, a hundred texts, and thirty emails, and all of that had only taken a minute out of her daily activities.

What made everything worse was that he didn't reply to a single message. If he was ignoring her, the least he could do was send a "stop spamming me", like any person with even one brain cell intact would do. That was better than being left on delivered for two whole fucking years.

At first, Yeri had been desperate, pleading for him to come back and staying up every night thinking about what went wrong. Then, as the months passed by with no word from him, she had only sent him one line: "Please just come back so I can tell you the fucking news. Then you can disappear, and I won't stop you." Finally, two or three months ago, she had given up. Fuck him. He was the one missing out, and she wouldn't take any of the blame, especially because she had given him plenty of warnings. Instead, she had decided to focus on the people around her and her career.

But, now, he was back, like a ghost from the past.

Drumming her fingers against the desk, she didn't even notice her office door opening until a soft voice said, "You look stressed."

Yeri glanced at Seulgi. "Is it that obvious?"

Grinning, Seulgi replied, "Considering the fact that I could hear you grinding your teeth from outside, yes." She stepped inside and sat in the chair facing Yeri. "What happened?"

Hesitating, Yeri shook her head. "Nothing really."

It wasn't like she didn't trust Seulgi because she only had two people in her life who she was willing to die for and Seulgi was one of them. However, she wanted some time to think about this whole situation. She didn't want to present it in a bad manner; when Seulgi found out that there was a man who left two years ago and fucked Yeri's whole life plans, she had been just as stressed as someone who actually lived through the experience. In fact, she had been so concerned, her body had started to show the consequences of too much strain and pressure. And although Yeri appreciated the fuck out of Seulgi for her care and love, Yeri never wanted to make her go through this again. Besides, she could be making this a big deal and giving extra stress to the people she loved for nothing.

Seulgi's eyebrow shot up. "Bullshit."

Laughing, Yeri absently rearranged her pens so that they were straight. No matter the circumstance, Seulgi was a bright beam of light in her life. "Maybe."

"Then tell me," Seulgi said, "I'm always here to listen."

"Give me a week." At Seulgi's confused expression, Yeri clarified, "After a week, if this is still a problem, then I'll tell you what I saw today."

Seulgi pouted, although her lips twitched, aching to form a smile. "You know, with the sweet rice cakes that I bought today, I thought I could get by with anything."

Yeri laughed. "Dream on, sweetie. You buy them because you love me."

"I love you because you love me," Seulgi said.

"Should I continue the chain?"

Rolling her eyes, Seulgi stood up and stretched. "I actually came in here to tell you that someone wanted to adopt a cat, but she, being a beginner, didn't know the best breed."

As Yeri followed her friend out the door, she said, "Perfect. It's about time for Toffee to find his forever home."

That's right. She was surrounded with the two people she loved. She poured her blood, sweat, and tears into the success of the bookstore, an accomplishment she would always be proud of. She lived in an apartment that was, albeit smaller than she liked, cute and comfortable. She had built herself a perfect life after what happened two years ago.

And nobody was going to mess that up, not even the man she used to love with her whole heart.


	2. reading cats

Unfortunately, Reading Cats didn't contain magical felines that could understand the human language. (Although, in Yeri's opinion, a bookstore that served as a safe haven for cats before they found their permanent home was just as magical.)

Fortunately, Reading Cats did contain some beautiful, some sassy, and some lazy felines that either hated or loved you, no in-between.

After getting her masters degree in entrepreneurship seven years ago, Yeri had put the piece of paper to extremely good use by wandering around for a year. It wasn't that she didn't want to start a business because that had been her dream since she was still a itty-bitty kid. It was that she was scared by the permanence of opening a business, something that she would dedicate the rest of her life to. What if she made the wrong choice?

Then, one fateful night, she had been aimlessly driving around when she saw Seulgi, who she had seen only once or twice since their undergraduate days, standing at a crosswalk. Memories of them getting drunk at white frat parties and shouting their lungs out at basketball games and studying in the library at five in the morning immediately flooded her mind. In a split second, she pulled over to a curb and literally stumbled out of her car to catch up with Seulgi.

That was one decision she would never regret. They instantly reconnected between huge and happy bites of egg omelets.

Apparently, after undergraduate school, Seulgi had moved back to Thailand because her Mom, who was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, wanted to spend her last months in their hometown. So, Seulgi had immediately packed her suitcases, moved to Thailand, and completed her graduate degree in veterinary work while taking care of her Mom.

"What about your Dad?" Yeri asked, her heart hurting for her friend. She remembered spending Thanksgiving with Seulgi's loud, but jolly Mom and quiet, but blunt Dad. They were a happy couple that seemed to be forged out of metal and stone: strong and everlasting.

"He stayed behind to take care of Reading Cats," Seulgi explained, "Mom only allowed him to visit every month, saying that she wanted the bookstore and the foster cats to survive." Poking her green peas, her voice was quiet when she said, "But I know Mom also didn't want Dad to see her weak. He was already so sad."

At the agony in her words, Yeri stood up and gave her a big hug, ignoring the curious stares from the rest of the customers.

After her Mom's death, Seulgi had traveled back to Korea to help her Dad with the bookstore. Then, she asked Yeri what she did during the four years they hadn't seen each other. As Yeri explained her own dilemma with her parents and uncertainty about her future, Seulgi's face had slowly scrunched up more and more. And although they had been separated for a while, Yeri understood the meaning behind each of Seulgi's facial expressions. Currently, she was in deep thought.

Finally, Yeri asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Seulgi slowly blinked. Then, sipping on some water, she said, "This is going to sound crazy."

Yeri thought back to that time Seulgi had thought it would be a good idea to climb over the gates that prevented them from going to a party for free and laughed.

"And of course, you don't have to take my offer, but I was wondering. What if you took over the bookstore?"

Jaw dropping, Yeri took a few seconds to process her words. "What?"

"Dad was looking for someone to take over, since he's planning to retire soon. And you have a business degree in entrepreneurship. I know you also love cats and reading. So it's basically like a match in heaven."

Sputtering, Yeri said, "What about you?"

Seulgi shook her head. "I'm a vet. I don't have the proper knowledge to run a business."

"But..."

"Think about it," Seulgi interrupted. "You don't have to make a decision anytime soon."

And Yeri did spend many days thinking about Seulgi's proposal. Eventually, after volunteering at the bookstore for a few weeks, she realized that she loved everything about Reading Cats - from the cozy decorations to the tall shelves of books to the adorable cats - and was willing to put everything into the business. A month of Yeri learning every aspect of the business, filling out paperwork, consulting with lawyers, pigging out on tteokbokki with Seulgi and Mr. Kang, and before long, she had become the new owner of the bookstore.

Six years later, Reading Cats was largely the same, except there was an extra branch that Seulgi temporarily operated to take care of injured or sick cats (she planned to transfer to a bigger practice after a few years at the bookstore, treating this as one last tribute for her parents). Yeri loved the store, and she couldn't foresee herself ever giving up her position, even if she was ninety and could barely walk.

She especially loved it on days when cats that have been horribly abused were rescued and brought in for treatment, like today.

Looking at the tabby cat's bruised eye, mangled fur, and bleeding ears, Yeri felt an incredible surge of sadness and anger. She couldn't understand how people could have the heart to harm such an innocent and pure fluff ball.

"Thank you for bringing him here," Seulgi said as she carefully scooped the cat into her embrace. "He'll be perfectly healthy in no time."

The rescuer had thanked her before leaving the store.

Carefully, Seulgi stroked the cat's head, who barely reacted to the touch. "Poor baby. He's in so much pain that he's not even registering that I could be a potential danger." Without another word, she took her to the sterile room. With no other work left for the day and the store closing in about thirty minutes, Yeri followed her.

"Some people are just heartless," Yeri said as she washed her hands.

Seulgi frowned as she inspected the wounds. "We need to teach that asshole a very stern lesson. The cat has numerous claw marks, as if done by an aggressive dog. It's also so thin, probably very malnourished."

Yeri glanced at the tiny bundle with concern. "Do you need help with anything?"

Shaking her head, Seulgi said, "It's not the worst. I just need to check for potential infections, bandage his wounds, and feed him lots of treats." She bent down and made kissing noises. "You're going to be better soon, little one. I promise."

Body sagging with relief, Yeri smiled gratefully at Seulgi. "You're an angel."

"Nah," Seulgi denied. "Just someone who's skilled at treating animals."

Laughing, Yeri watched Seulgi as she wiped the dry blood away with a wet towel. It was nice and relaxing to watch her friend work; it was like Seulgi was using magic to dissolve all the problems in the world.

The comfortable silence that filled the room was broken by Seulgi's question. "It's about him, right?"

Yeri tilted her head in confusion. "What?"

"The reason why you were upset yesterday. It stemmed from him."

Yeri's whole body locked up as realization dawned upon her. Somehow, she had managed to forget what she read yesterday, probably because she was so busy figuring out the financials of their current purchases and sales. Then, she went home and another problem had occupied her mind.

"I should've guessed yesterday," Seulgi said as she opened a cabinet for bandages. "He's the only person who can make you that mad."

"It's nothing," Yeri protested, "I was just overreacting."

Seulgi shot her a you're-really-an-idiot glance. "It's not nothing, especially since you haven't told him the most important thing, yet."

Letting out a frustrated groan, Yeri spat, "He clearly doesn't give a shit about me, so why should I care."

"I agree, and I'm going to kill him one day," Seulgi said without a second thought. Yeri smiled at her undying loyalty. "However, for a whole year after he left, you lived like a zombie before I told you to snap out of it. You're clearly not going to be okay."

"Honestly, I'm just going to let it be," Yeri said, "If he grows a brain cell and comes back one day, then I'll tell him. Otherwise, it's not my problem anymore."

"Really? If he comes back, you're telling him?"

Yeri nodded before noticing Seulgi's scrutinizing glance, as if she was gauging whether Yeri was telling the truth or not. Nervous that she was on the end of Seulgi's intense stare, she asked, "What?" Then, she squinted her eyes. "Come to think of it, how did you know I was worrying about him? I doubt you grew the ability to read minds overnight."

"He called yesterday."

The whole entire world stopped. Seulgi, the cat, and the room melted away until it was just Yeri floating in a dark space with no oxygen or gravity. She was leaving the solitary comfort of earth and flying into the unknown without any preparations. She couldn't breathe.

A warm hand landing on her shoulder snapped Yeri out of her daze. "I'm here," Seulgi whispered, eyes shimmering with concern.

Blinking, Yeri was suddenly ashamed for reacting in such a silly manner. She was stronger than that, blaming her embarrassing reaction on the fact that she wasn't prepared for the bomb. Especially since she had learned just yesterday that he wasn't dead. "I can be a bit dramatic," she said, clearing her throat and weakly laughing. "When did he call?"

"Around two hours ago," Seulgi said, "I was going to tell you, but I got distracted by the cat."

"What..." She was almost scared to ask. "... did he say?"

"He just asked me whether this was Reading Cats. When I said yes, he said my voice sounded really familiar, and then asked for you. After a moment, I finally pieced together all the puzzle pieces and realized that it was him. So, I hung up without another word."

Yeri laughed in relief. Trust Seulgi to handle any situation with precision. "Thank you," she said, giving her a huge hug.

"Anything for you." Lightly patting Yeri on the back, Seulgi asked, "What are you going to do?"

Pulling back, Yeri shrugged. "Again, nothing. Unless he shows up on my doorstep, I'm not going to do anything."

...

Exhausted from work and the knowledge of the phone call, Yeri opened the front door of her apartment, aching to relax and spend time with a certain energetic ball of delightful smiles and chubby limbs.

"Welcome home," a voice said.

Yeri expectantly looked up as she kicked off her sneakers. "Where's Mira?"

Siwon, the babysitter, pointed to the kitchen. "Busy entertaining herself."

Saying a quick thanks for Siwon's hard work, Yeri practically sprinted to the kitchen, which wasn't very far away, considering the fact that her apartment only had a bedroom, a small living room that basically merged with the kitchen, and a bathroom. When she saw Mira happily slapping the surface of her high chair, Yeri's whole day became infinitely better and all her concerns scattered.

"Mira," she squealed as she walked over and scooped the heavy bundle to her chest. She buried her head into Mira's neck and deeply inhaled her sweet baby scent.

Mira giggled and smacked Yeri's face with her tiny palms.

Pulling back, Yeri beamed and carefully fixed her messy hair. With dark amber eyes, small thin lips, and a smile that emphasized her two front teeth, one could say that she was the splitting image of a certain celebrity that left two years ago.

But that wasn't a surprise. After all, Mira was Jungkook's and Yeri's daughter.


	3. a ghost from the past

Remember when Yeri said that she had two people who she was willing to die for? One of them was Seulgi, and the other was her daughter, Mira.

She had not been expecting a baby nor was she remotely prepared to raise a human being. Alone after Jungkook's disappearance and scared of raising a child as a single parent, she had even considered abortion. However, in the end, she decided to have the baby, and ever since that decision, the human growing inside of her became her sole focus in life.

The nine months of pregnancy was a struggle. Morning sickness, loss of appetite, and irregular sleep schedules in the first few months were all things Yeri had never experienced before. She spent hours searching up the best ways to ensure the baby stayed healthy: what food to eat, what activities she needed to stop doing, what vitamins to consume. The changes her body went through were foreign and different from any other sickness, causing Yeri to unreasonably think them as abnormalities. Constant visits to her doctor (so much that she was positive the doctor was sick of her) were the only thing that assured her that her baby was thriving.

Seulgi also never left her side during the nine months of hell, something Yeri would never forget for the rest of her life and even in her next life. It was Seulgi who bought her medicine and organic products when Yeri was too tired to move around while the baby kicked inside of her. It was Seulgi who held her hand as Yeri screamed and pushed when her water broke. It was Seulgi who laughed with her as they tried to figure out the proper way to change a diaper without making a mess. Seulgi was as much a Mom to Mira as Yeri was.

Yet, despite all the help she got, being a Mom to an infant wasn't easy, and Yeri emerged from the whole pregnancy period with a newfound appreciation for all the Moms in the world. Even now, she didn't know if she was correctly raising Mira. Was she giving her too much food? Was she being too strict or too lenient? What was the line that separated her decisions made as a friend and as a Mom?

In the beginning, she had even panicked, worrying that Mira would be bullied for not having a Dad. Or that Mira would come to resent Yeri for taking her father away. However, in the end, she realized that she couldn't force Jungkook to come back nor find a new father, so she had to be sufficient enough to give Mira a life full of everything a normal family would have. Although she was mostly still fumbling around in the dark, she had survived two years without the father, and she was positive she could continue to provide Mira happiness.

Mira's bubbly "Mama", the only word she could say, snapped Yeri out of her train of thoughts.

"Yes, baby," Yeri cooed. Blowing a raspberry against Mira's chubby cheeks, she felt her heart expand when her baby responded with a loud happy squeal. Everything Yeri did was to make Mira happy, and whenever she laughed, Yeri knew that she would never regret a single choice she had made, not even getting into a relationship with Jungkook. "You're so adorable," Yeri said, peppering Mira's face with light kisses.

"Mira was really happy today," Siwon said, "probably because I allowed her to watch an hour of Peppa Pig."

"Peppa Pig is really exciting, huh?" Yeri gently bounced Mira up and down. "Aren't you such a good and sweet girl?" Mira responded with a happy gurgle. Turning to the babysitter, Yeri gratefully smiled, "Thank you for everything. I'll have the money ready for you by the end of this week."

Siwon shook her head. "I adore Mira, so it's fine. Take your time." Grabbing her backpack from the dining table, she said, "Bye, Mira!" The baby clumsily waved her hand. "I'll see you tomorrow," she told Yeri before leaving.

Just as the door closed, Mira let out the most piercing, screechy, and loud howl, literally scaring Yeri's soul to another dimension. Yeri could only hope that Mira's crys got better as she grew because this noise could rival a banshee's scream. She was surprised no neighbors had filed a noise complaint yet.

Wrapping an arm around Mira's torso, she asked, "Miss Siwon already?"

Mira bawled louder.

"Hungry?"

The screaming suddenly stopped and Mira bonked her head against Yeri's forehead.

Laughing, Yeri said as she went to the kitchen, "I'll take that as a yes."

...

"Good morning, Ryemi. Is everything good?" Yeri called as she stepped into the store. She was not only greeted by the store's only employee, who handled all the small tasks including the telephone and the cash machine, but also a fluffy grey cat that weaved itself around her legs.

Bending down, she rubbed Poppy around her ears. "You're getting chubbier. What have you been eating behind my back these days?"

Poppy's reply was a loud meow, as if she was offended that Yeri would accuse her of such a horrendous crime.

"She's been trying to steal food from the other cats. I had to watch her while she ate yesterday," Ryemi said, grinning. "And everything is perfect."

Yeri nodded, as she made her way past the front counter. "Thank you for your hard work."

She was about to open the door to her office when Ryemi said, "Oh, I almost forgot! There was a man who said he needed to tell you something and would be willing to wait however long, so I let him in your office."

"Ryemi!" Yeri scolded. "Don't just let someone into my office like that."

Sheepishly, the girl said, "Sorry. He said he was family, so I assumed..."

Family? The only people she considered family were Seulgi and Mira; Mom also wouldn't drive out without informing Yeri first. So who could...

Dread filled her body. Her hands started to tremble on the handle. It was impossible and highly irrational, but she just knew. There was nobody else who would declare themselves as family. Sweat started to form around her headline, and she suddenly wanted to hop on an airplane and escape.

"I'm so sorry," Ryemi said, looking at Yeri with panic. "You're right. I shouldn't have let him in. He probably stole something. Oh, I need to call the police! You can step back and I'll-"

"It's fine," Yeri interrupted.

Not giving herself unnecessary time to mull over his presence and make herself even more nervous, she pushed the door open so quickly that the man in her office jumped in surprise.

She was right.

Jeon Jungkook, in the flesh.

Two years had passed, but Jungkook still had the same set of complimenting features that had first caught Yeri's attention.

She wasn't the type to fall for physical appearance, but something about him had been different. Maybe it was the way his eyes lit up when Yeri had offered him money because he had forgotten his wallet. Maybe it was the way his hands had animatedly gestured as they talked about everything and nothing over cups of coffee that slowly got cold. Maybe it was the way his mouth had slowly twisted into a grin when he revealed that he was an aspiring singer hoping to become big one day. Whatever it was, Yeri had never been more attracted to someone than him. And it was really unfair that even after destroying her life, he could still be so attractive.

Upon closer inspection though, she noticed that Jungkook had longer hair that reached his chin and a number of tattoos that decorated his left hand and arm. He also looked nervous, his eyes darting from her office to her, unlike the charming persona he had displayed when she first met him in the coffee shop five years ago.

"Yeri," he hesitantly said, his hands fidgeting in front of him, a habit that he didn't seem to break even after two years. His voice was still deep, something that used to make Yeri shiver in delight.

There were honestly so many things she had to say, but thrusted into this situation without a warning, she was suddenly so angry. All her previous hurt and betrayal and agony quickly rose up, and she had no ability to be civil while talking.

"Leave," she deadpanned, not bothering to waste more energy on the asshole in front of her. Once upon a time, he had broken her heart and if he thought waltzing into her office without a warning was going to crack her armor, then he had never been more wrong.

"I'm really sorry for showing up like this, but-"

"I have work," Yeri cut him off as she brushed past him. Robotically, she sat down and turned on her computer, trying her best to seem as unaffected as possible. She clicked on the first document she saw and pretended to type. Every atom in her was working hard to ignore the man standing in the office, which suddenly seemed so small. Or was it that Jungkook's presence was too big?

"I came here right after I got off the airplane, hoping that you would be here."

"Please leave," Yeri said, still not looking at him. "I have worksheets to fill, paperwork to sign-" She couldn't help the tinge of sarcasm that creeped into her voice "-and if you couldn't see already, a bookstore to run. So, leave."

There was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch a few years.

Finally, Jungkook cleared his throat and nodded. "Okay, I'll leave, but when are you free?"

Exasperated, Yeri finally turned to look at him. Super bad idea because her heart quickly kicked up with anxiety and anticipation. "I really don't have time."

Grimacing, he held up a palm. "Please, Yeri. Please listen to me."

Narrowing her eyes, she said, "I gave you plenty of opportunities when-" She held up her fingers and slowly ticked off a mental list. "-I called and texted and emailed you for two years." Flinging her arm to the door, she snapped, "So, leave."

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no words fell out. Finally, he stepped back and grabbed the handle of the door. "I'm not giving up, Yeri."

"Please do," she muttered, focusing her attention back on the computer screen.

"No, because I'm here to stay this time. Permanently," Jungkook said before the door opened and closed with a soft click.

A moment later, while Yeri was trying hard not to think about the contradiction of his last sentence, the door opened again. She whipped around, about to scream at the stubborn asshole to leave, when she noticed it was Seulgi.

With an exhale, Seulgi quickly said, "I'm really sorry, but I was in the back taking care of the cat from yesterday. I didn't see him and I guess Ryemi thought it was okay to let him in." She sat down in the chair and shuddered. "Was it bad?"

Yeri slumped against her seat. "I'm mad at him."

"You should be."

"I'm so mad that he came back and didn't even mention Mira." She lifted her head and growled, "Does he even care about her?"

Seulgi frowned. "It's weird for a father to not even care a bit about his daughter. Shouldn't he want to at least know her name?"

Groaning in frustration, Yeri tightly clenched her hands into a fist. "I hate that man. I honestly don't know how I misread his character so badly."

"Are you still planning to tell him about Mira?"

She humorlessly laughed and tugged her hair. "Yes," she spat. "Ugh, I have to."

Seulgi's eyes were warm when she took Yeri's hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"I may hate Jungkook," Yeri sighed, closing her eyes. "But Mira has nothing to do with my feud with him. She deserves a chance to know her father if she wants to, no matter how fucked he is. And I hate to admit this, but he is her father and he also has the right to be in her life. That doesn't mean I have to be nice to him, though."

Chuckling, Seulgi said, "When did you get so mature? In my eyes, you're the girl who peed in her pants after getting drunk."

"Oh my god," Yeri laughed, turning her hand around so they were holding hands: waffle style. "Please don't tell Mira that. She'll be scarred forever."

Winking, Seulgi got up and said, "Mira is going to have a blast hearing all these stories of her Mom as a wild college student." She pulled away her hand. "Well, I'm going to leave first then. I have a doctor's appointment in an hour."

Looking at her in alarm, Yeri repeated, "Doctor's appointment?"

Nodding, Seulgi explained, "Just the yearly checkup. Don't pee your pants again coming up with wild scenarios."

Yeri gave Seulgi a mock wedgie with her eyes. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Blowing her kiss, Seulgi left the room, leaving Yeri to her own thoughts. She had made up her mind about the baby situation. Now, she needed to find time to break the news to that man, news he could've easily read on his phone a year ago. But she wasn't going to physically haul ass to chase him down. So, if he wanted to be a part of Mira's life again, then everything was going to be on him.

Yeri was done fighting.


	4. like a puzzle set

Turns out, Yeri really didn't have to worry because the next day, when she walked into the store with Mira in her arms, Jungkook was playing with Poppy next to the bookshelf that contained a collection of classic books.

At the soft chime of the bell, he sprung up and whipped around to look at her with an alarmed expression, as if he was caught doing something illegal. "Good morning," Jungkook greeted before glancing back down at Poppy, who was currently rubbing against his leg and purring.

Ignoring him, Yeri lightly stroked Mira's back as she called out her usual greeting, "Good morning, Ryemi. Is everything good?"

The enthusiastic high school girl nodded and flashed her a thumbs up. "Stellar."

"Perfect," Yeri grinned. "Is Seulgi here, yet?"

Before Yeri could see Ryemi's shake her head, Mira gurgled a string of words that made absolutely no sense. Nonetheless, Yeri smiled and whispered, "Mira, you're going to be meeting your Dad very soon." She only grasped Yeri's nose and giggled.

The truth was that Yeri didn't want to tell Jungkook, yet. She didn't want to go through the hassle of splitting time with Jungkook; mostly because she was selfish and wanted Mira all to herself. However, she had no other choice, and what better time than right now. Coincidentally, Jungkook had come on the day of the week Yeri always bought Mira to work with.

Making her way to the office, she paused when she realized Jungkook wasn't following her. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and through gritted teeth, asked, "Are you going to come or stand there the whole day?"

Jungkook, who had been steadfastly following the whole exchange, perked up and nodded. "I'm coming."

Forcing herself not to be angry for Mira's sake, Yeri went to her office and pushed open the door with her hip. A baby meant learning a bunch of new skills and one of the skills she had mastered was turning a door handle with her body. She didn't wait for Jungkook to arrive as she went to her chair, set down her purse, and firmly positioned Mira on her lap.

The door opened again a second later to reveal Jungkook. Stepping inside the office, he said, "The bookstore still looks amazing."

Of course, he knew about the bookstore. Yeri had spent hours and hours talking about how she wanted to grow Reading Cats (which were all put on hold after she had Mira), in which Jungkook had patiently listened, occasionally giving his tips. (Although, now, she didn't even know if he wanted to listen to her rant.)

Yeri shrugged. "I had help," she briskly said. The "you wouldn't know" was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed the petty words. She straightened Mira's pink dress and told her how cute she was. "You are so perfect, Mira."

Jungkook curiously glanced at the baby. "I didn't know you babysat now."

Snorting, Yeri lightly bounced Mira on her lap and raised an eyebrow. "Babysit?" Was this man being fucking serious?

He nodded. "I mean, I knew you liked children, but to actually take care of one while working. It's just new."

Yeri almost sprung across the room to dig her claws into the asshole's dull skull. The only person stopping her was Mira. She couldn't become a wild woman in front of her daughter. But the man was fucking unbelievable. That was all he had to say to his daughter.

"Who's baby is that?"

Shooting him a nasty glare, she said, "Yours."

He lifted an eyebrow. "I don't think I have the capabilities of popping out a baby."

"Jesus," Yeri retorted, "Did two years do something to your common sense? The baby is our's."

Jungkook's whole world seemed to freeze. His chest stopped moving up and down, his hands stopped gesturing in the air, and he stopped blinking. The blood drained out of his face, leaving behind a very pale and unhealthy complexion. The room was so silent that Yeri swore she could hear a feather drop onto the floor. Even Mira was oddly quiet, curiously staring at Jungkook with huge eyes, as if she knew that he was acting very strange.

"My baby?" he finally croaked.

Yeri narrowed her eyes and observed his behavior. It was as if the ground underneath him was shaking and splitting open, and he had nowhere to run or hide. His only choice was to face the challenge. "Yes. Her name is Mira."

He let out a deep noise filled with surprise before he slid down, like his knees were too wobbly to support the rest of his body. Roughly rubbing his face, he suddenly started to gasp, struggling to inhale and exhale. Tremors wracked his huge body, a force that could shake a solid chair. Yeri's eyes widened at his reaction: half of her wanted to scream at him to stop lying, while the other half wanted to comfort him. He was freaking out, but why?

"I-" He coughed and buried his face into his knees. "I have a baby." The word sounded like a nuclear bomb in his mouth.

"Yes," Yeri said, her tone indicating that she was not only done with his bullshit, but also confused. "You have a baby."

Mira chose this moment to happily shout, "Mama!"

Jungkook's head flew up to look at the baby. His eyes flashed with a myriad of emotions. "I have a baby," he repeated like a broken record.

Yeri merely shot him a deadly glare.

"Shit," he groaned, running his hands through his hair so many times that he looked like he had been electrocuted. "Shit. Shit. Shit. I didn't know, Yeri. I didn't know we had a daughter."

At his claim, Yeri almost growled in indignation as rage tore through her body. Even if he didn't know when he left, she sent him so many messages that there was no way a person could miss all of them.

He heavily exhaled and shook his head. "I didn't know, or I wouldn't have left."

Yeri knew it was stupid to feel hurt, but she couldn't help the light sting that struck her heart. In the end, Jungkook had never loved her like she loved him. "Stop coming up with excuses," she snapped. "I texted you about it."

Suddenly shooting up, he paced back and forth in the office before stopping and saying, "I have to go."

Scoffing, Yeri said, "Again?"

"I need a night to think about this," Jungkook said as he literally sprinted to the door. He gave Yeri and Mira one last look. "Give me some time to think about this." Then, he slipped out the door like water.

And he was gone again.

Yeri sighed. What did he expect? For Jungkook to finally become a father? That was a hope that had slowly withered and died away in a frame of two years.

And like Mira had psychic abilities, she sensed the spoiled mood and slapped her palms against Yeri's cheeks, so it formed a squishy sandwich that made her lips pucker. "Mama," Mira gurgled.

...

"Boys are puzzle pieces," Seulgi loudly announced, catching the attention of some of the other parents sitting in the playroom. "Some are easy to figure out, like the 6-piece set you give to toddlers, while some are hard, like the 5000-piece set that's always made worse with the picture practically being the same color."

Three days have passed since Jungkook ghastly stormed out of the office, bringing the weekend and a much needed break for both Yeri and Seulgi. So, in a very last minute conversation over a messy cereal breakfast, they had decided to bring Mira to the mall, so she could play in the ball pen that she loved and then watch the movie that had been long overdue. Now, they sat besides the ball pen, watching Mira crawl around and giggle (her legs were still a bit wobbly whenever she tried walking), wolfing down the Chinese takeout they had bought twenty minutes ago, and talking about how universally alike men were.

"And, yet, we spend so much money to buy the large puzzle pieces, only to get headaches and frustration." Yeri sighed, as she fidgeted with the wrapper of the fortune cookie included in the meal.

Seulgi laughed. "I'm sure that the picture in the end will be worth the trouble."

Yeri rolled her eyes. "Happily-ever-afters don't exist in real life." Maybe, in the past, she had foolishly believed that, but things have changed.

"Sadly, that is true. Romance is very romanticized in the dramas and movies." Seulgi was, in fact, everything, but a hopeless romantic, which explained why she slept with boys faster than a person used money. She also didn't believe that romance was all fun and bright and perfect. Technically, she wasn't a cynic, just someone who has seen the dark parts the world could offer and believed that being realistic was the right way to live. Considering the things she had to go through though, Yeri understood. "But, back to Jungkook, do you believe him?"

Scowling, Yeri shook her head.

Seulgi slowly chewed her yuxiang eggplants before saying, "I'm going to become your enemy for a second, so you can hear both sides of the story like I do, since I'm sure your blinding rage is becoming a bias against him."

Laughing, Yeri nodded. "Go on, Lawyer Kang."

Mouth splitting into a goofy grin, Seulgi said, "So, just to be clear, based on what you told me, he didn't know about Mira."

"Yes, but how is that possible?" Yeri huffed. "I sent him so many messages. This also isn't the seventeenth century anymore. Letters don't take months to arrive."

Seulgi scratched her cheeks. "You're right, unless someone cut all contact from the outside world."

"Maybe, but that still explains nothing. Why did he leave in the first place? Why didn't he at least inform me about his decision? If he didn't like me anymore, the least he could do was tell me. Granted, we were not official boyfriends and girlfriends for very long, but he took ghosting to another level," Yeri said, ignoring the tinge of hurt at the thought of him not even considering her as a person who needed proper closure.

Frustrated, she harshly ripped open the wrapper. Having someone disappear on her was similar to anxiously waiting for a runaway or lost child. The first day, Yeri had not thought that something was wrong, thinking that Jungkook was simply busy. Then, as day one turned into day two, three, and then four, she had panicked, thinking he was dead in a ditch or somewhere remote. She had searched everywhere and even contemplated the police, but Seulgi had stopped her, saying if he was dead, then the police would definitely know, especially since he was pretty famous. Finally, as days turned into weeks, the police had told her that there was no mention of a celebrity dying. When a month went by, she had reasoned that Jungkook had left. But no one would understand the month of having to go to work and pretending everything was fine. Then, Mira had come along and Yeri's focus completely changed.

"But he did say he's not giving up."

Breaking open the cookie, Yeri said, "Words are easy to say. Actions, on the other hand, actually depend on the willingness of the heart. He broke my trust and that's the main issue."

Seulgi sighed. "You win." 

Taking out the fortune, Yeri read the words: the love of your life will carry you through any circumstance in life. Well, wasn't that perfect timing? Scoffing, she handed the small slip of paper to Seulgi, who read it and snorted. "All lies. I never trusted fortune tellers," Seulgi said.

Crumbling the fortune into her fists, Yeri quickly checked on Mira, who was happily making incoherent noises with a girl around her age, and then asked, "Anyways, tell me about the guy you recently went home with."

Seulgi cackled as she closed the white takeout box. "Mochi Boy?"

She never called the man she had slept with before by their actual names. (Yeri swore it was a defense mechanism, but Seulgi always denied her claim and said the names were just too funny.) As a result, she had slept with Bird Ghoster (he was the slowest texter ever because he spent most of his days observing the behavior of birds), Haunted Shoe (she swore he only had one pair of shoes that somehow always stayed clean), Cold Vampire (he rarely left the house and was always cold), and more. "He's good, but I'm pretty sure he likes to eat mochi more than he likes to have sex. That's all he ever eats."

Yeri laughed. "How do you find these boys? They're never dull."

Winking, Seulgi said, "It's a talent." Standing up to throw away their trash, her brows suddenly furrowed. "Off topic, but I do have one burning question about Jungkook."

"Shoot."

"If he didn't know about the baby, then why did he come back?"

That was definitely a million dollar question Yeri had no answer for.

...

The following Monday was proving to be extremely terrible.

After a late night with Seulgi, Yeri had been woken up by Mira's wailing at four in the morning before the sun had even peeked out. Apparently, Mira had pooped in her diapers, and how a little baby could have the smelliest and most explosive intestines in the whole world was still unknown to Yeri. After about an hour of cleaning and trying very hard not to breathe through her nose, she had been too awake to fall back asleep. So, she spent the rest of the morning aimlessly surfing the web. Then, Siwon arrived to babysit for the day and Yeri left for work after a big fat kiss on freshly clean Mira.

On the drive to work, Yeri's phone had chirped with an incoming text. She hastily glanced at the notifications, which said "Do you have time to meet with-", before throwing (lightly though because she was not financially blessed to casually buy a new phone) back onto the passenger seat. That was another headache-inducing matter she could worry about later.

And then to make matters worse, Yeri walked into the store to see Jungkook absently rubbing Poppy while reading the blurb of a book.

As she stared at the sight in front of her, she felt a slight tinge of betrayal that Poppy, who had previously loved her, was now only paying attention to him. It was definitely petty, but she really didn't give a shit in that moment.

Hearing the bell ring, Jungkook looked up, put down the book, and stood up. Smiling, he said, "Good morning."

Yeri brushed past him and shot Poppy a slightly hurt look. She simply meowed at her, like she was wrongly accused. "Why did you come back?" she asked.

Jungkook hesitated. "Can I see Mira?"

Coming to a screeching halt, she whipped around. "What? You suddenly want to be a father?" she asked, unable to help the venom in her voice.

He grimaced, but slowly nodded.

Seeing the hesitance in his actions, Yeri's bitterness dissolved. She had complained for two years about his absence and now that he was back, wanting to see Mira, she was being a complete jerk. She had told herself she would separate her personal grudges with Mira's right to be a father, and she was currently not doing a very good job.

"What time are you free?" she asked.

Perking up with excitement, Jungkook said, "Anytime you're free."

"Then come to my apartment tonight at six."


	5. 3+1=4

Yeri was going to burn a path in the carpet, but she was too jittery to stop pacing and sit still.

Earlier in the day, after giving Jungkook her address, she had left him without another word: one because she was busy and two because she didn't want to waste further energy dwelling on her emotions.

Except after a day of drowning herself with work, it was coming back to bite her ass.

Her mind couldn't stop spinning wild scenarios. What if Jungkook didn't like Mira or thought she was an ugly rat? What if because of her appearance, he decided he wanted nothing to do with Mira Scientifically speaking, Yeri wasn't sure whether a father was capable of feeling that, but nonetheless, sweat prickled the base of her neck and her stomach twisted into complex knots. She was scared for Mira, who could possibly grow up without her biological Dad. How would she explain this to her in the future? That the man who shared her blood and helped conceive her decided she wasn't worth it?

"Not going to lie, you pacing back and forth is probably the most exercise you've gotten in months," Seulgi teased as she blew a raspberry against Mira's chubby cheeks. The baby was sitting on her lap, happily yanking on a fistful of hair, oblivious to the fact that her life was going to change in about ten minutes.

"Should I be thanking Jungkook?" Yeri's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Lightly tickling Mira's stomach, Seulgi laughed. "It's fine to be nervous, but don't worry too much. I'm here for emotional support, remember? I'll make sure he understands how much he fucked up."

Yeri exhaled. Seulgi was right; she was being irrational.

Despite her attempts to calm down, though, when the doorbell rang, Yeri almost jumped out of her skin. Wiping the cold sweat from her hands, she slowly made her way to the entrance. When Seulgi flashed her a thumbs up, she gathered up her courage and opened the door.

Jungkook was standing on the other side, one hand holding a small teddy bear, the other rubbing the nape of his neck. He had a black cap pulled low over his eyes, but Yeri could still see the way his mouth twisted into an uncertain and timid smile. "Hey," he greeted.

See, everything is relatively normal.

She gestured at her apartment, moving aside to make room for him. "Come in."

Tentatively stepping inside, Jungkook scanned the small space, eyes darting from the shoe rack to the beige loveseat to the fake ivies framing the single window in the living room. He opened his mouth as if to speak when Yeri pointed at his shoes; looking like a child getting caught for stealing cookies from the jar at midnight, he kicked off his sneakers, hesitantly pulling off his cap and bunching it in his hands, hair matted to his scalp with sweat.

Huh, why did he suddenly look so lost?

Yeri's heart unwillingly lurched and she grimaced, pointing at the hardwood floors. "I don't have time to clean this every week."

He quickly shook his head. "No, you're fine. It was my fault..." After a few seconds of excruciatingly heavy silence, he tilted his head, saying, "Your apartment is nice."

She closed the door. "Thanks, but I barely decorated it, so there's no need for pretty words."

Shaking his head, he claimed, "I'm being serious." He pointed to the numerous posters of book characters, plastering a whole section of the living room. She had read about them when she was younger and never had the heart to let the pictures go. "I remember almost falling on top of one of them, and you freaked out. It was funny." He smiled. "Your apartment is simple, but so you."

How did one respond to that? Cry tears of gratitude? Thank him for remembering her? Nope, none of that sounded right.

So, Yeri only blinked. Two years have passed, but the man was still the exact same. He had a way to make people feel special, noticed, and appreciated. A charm that probably came from his experience as a celebrity. It was a trait that attracted many people to him. And sad to admit, but Yeri was one of those people, finally meeting a man who she thought had specifically and willingly chosen her. Apparantently, she was horribly wrong.

"Oh, sorry," he stammered, finally seeming to notice her discomfort. "I must've come off too strong, but I genuinely believe that you haven't changed a whole lot."

"I don't think you have the right to say that," she muttered, turning away from him. "Besides, I've changed since you last saw me."

If he replied, his response was lost in the air because Yeri, scared to admit that their exchange had done more than just frazzle her, went to scoop Mira into her embrace. Thankfully, her daughter provided a good distraction. Seulgi's silent stare - or more like, glare - was also a funny spectacle.

"Seulgi, right? I think we've met once," Jungkook said. "Long time no see."

Seulgi narrowed her eyes. "Jungcock, right? I believe you are right. We have met."

Yeri took a while to understand that the mispronunciation was done on purpose. Then, she had to bury her face into Mira's neck in order to stifle her laugh. (And this was why Yeri would take a bullet for her best friend.)

For a second, Jungkook faltered, startled and unsure what to say. Then, finally, he nodded, corners of his mouth lifting a little. "Fair enough."

Lifting one eyebrow, Seulgi merely frowned.

And to join in the fun, Mira farted before smacking Yeri's cheek and repeating, "Juncok!"

Today really was full of monumental moments.

Seulgi's eyes widened, realizing that she had just taught Mira her first word besides "Mama". Yeri didn't know whether to cry or crack up, finally deciding to laugh-tear-up as her heart swelled. And Jungkook seemed to sway on his feet, his face flashing with a myriad of emotions.

"Did..." He gulped, clearing his throat. The teddy bear started to shake, a little tremor that Yeri, when studying him more closely, saw it originated from his shoulders. "Did she just say my name?" He looked at her like Mira had just given his name a beautiful meaning, even though she had pronounced the syllables wrong.

Yeri nodded, grabbing one of Mira's wrist and holding her arm out. "Mira, meet your Dad. Jungkook, this is your daughter, Mira."

For a person laying eyes on their newborn blood and bone, there was something so authentic, so overwhelming and amazing, about the love that could keep on building and building without exploding from the body. Something so wondrous that a kind of paternal protectiveness and instinct could kick to life when a baby's vocal cord kicks to use. Yeri understood everything, though, when she held her tiny bundle, barely eight pounds, against her chest and tears of joy streamed down her face. Knew, with absolute certainty and clarity, that she would travel to hell and back for the nine-months old life.

Now, hearing Jungkook let out a raw, guttural noise that seemed to come from someplace deep inside of him, Yeri could tell he was experiencing what she had felt, albeit two years late, but still the exact same. Saw it in the way he, with the grace of a trained dancer, stumbled over his feet trying to get to his daughter.

Mira curiously peered at Jungkook and flexed her fingers.

"My baby," Jungkook breathed as he finally lifted a shaky hand to gently curl his fingers around her tiny ones. "Mira. My beautiful daughter."

He lowered his head until it touched Mira's forehead. In that quick motion, she noticed eyes that glistened red under the kitchen light. Caught a glimpse of two silent paths of love streaking down his cheeks. Jungkook was crying the same tears that had run down Yeri's face a year ago on February 19.

When Mira latched onto his index finger, as if she knew he was special to her, his tears fell faster and his voice wobbled, making her name and "my beautiful daughter" dip and rise in pitch.

Eyes a bit misty herself, Yeri grinned and gently stroked Mira's hair. "I know she's beautiful." Oh, of course, she knew. She had known the moment she found out she was pregnant, despite the fear and loneliness.

"Yeri, thank you for bringing her to this world."

The Jungkook-effect must've been in action again. Because no man has ever made Yeri's heart itch to claw out of her chest and go to him, beating a thousand beats per second underneath her ribcage. Two years later and butterflies were still fluttering in her stomach. You also helped, she wanted to say so badly, to throw everything else in the trash and start over.

"I had people I love help me through every step," she whispered instead.

As if being summoned, Seulgi stood up, coming to Yeri's side and looping an arm around her shoulders. Giving him a pointed stare, she warned, "She's the best thing to happen to Yeri. So if you ever hurt Mira or Yeri, then I will poison you and everyone you love, screw the consequences and everything."

Still staring at Mira like she had saved the world, Jungkook shook his head. "Never again." This time, when he made his promise, he looked at Yeri, his honey-amber eyes warm and intense, rooting her to the spot and piercing her soul. "Never again."

...

"Woah," Seulgi said, grabbing the door handle for support as she leaned her head against the door frame. "I got up too fast."

Yeri frowned, glancing up from her computer just in time to see Seulgi slap her forehead a few times. "You sure? You look a bit pale."

Grinning, Seulgi straightened and held out her arms. "I'm fine, just lacking iron and feeling exhausted. I've been sleeping around 4 in the morning every night."

The frown on Yeri's face grew. "When did you become a night owl?" Seulgi usually woke up at six everyday for her morning jog before promptly eating her breakfast at seven-thirty. Basically, she was a girl of routine and not even a comet would destroy her schedule.

"Since I started to shadow bigger veterinary practices," she answered, rolling her eyes. "There was a hedgehog that hated me despite my attempts to sweet-talk it." She shuddered. "I love all animals, but, damn, that one was really feisty."

Yeri grinned, opening her arms. "Come on, my poor baby. Let me give you a big and bigger hug."

Seulgi pouted and shuffled over to the embrace. Resting her chin on Yeri's shoulder, she asked, "Will you be my wife? Dad has been urging me to marry, even though I'm only 26 and I don't like anyone but you."

Patting her back, Yeri laughed. "Mochi Boy sounds nice. You can get unlimited mochi supply and then give them to me. Win-win situation."

She sniffed. "I'm going to get tired of him." Lifting her head, Seulgi suddenly asked, "By the way, is Jungcock back in the picture?"

Yeri sighed. "I have no idea."

Yesterday, Jungkook had spent hours with Mira, using the teddy bear to teach her how bears crawled and growled. Then, when it was time for Mira's bedtime, he had simply tucked the bear into Mira's crib and asked for Yeri's phone number before thanking her and leaving. He hadn't said anything about what his future with Mira looked like, and Yeri really didn't want to be the first to text and ask.

But the universe had a way of working its miracles because her phone chirped just as she pulled away from the hug. Heart jumping to her throat, she checked the screen to see a text from Jungkook: one line that read "Can I come see Mira this evening?"

Holding the phone out to Seulgi, Yeri said, "Look. I guess this answers your question."

"And you're going to allow him? Just like that?"

"Of course, he's Mira's Dad." She turned off her phone and placed it back on her desk. "But there's going to be some strict guidelines."

...

When Jungkook rang the doorbell the following evening, Yeri was in the middle of boiling lightly-salted noodles and vegetables for Mira, who by some miracle had decided to eat a sustainable meal without making the biggest fuss. (She had an insatiable obsession with honey-nut Cheerios and without any supervision, would eat that for the rest of her life.) So, needless to say, that had put her in a great mood. She even had a check on her urge that constantly probed her to confront his feelings for her. A problem from the past shouldn't cause a ridge between Jungkook's and Mira's present relationship.

"Hey," Jungkook said as he stepped inside. "How was your day?"

Although Yeri wasn't jumping on the balls of her feet, acting overly excited, she did smile, which in her opinion, was a huge improvement from the past few weeks. "Poppy might be adopted next week. I finally found a suitable home for her."

Her amiableness must've surprised him because he faltered for a second, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Finally, he wistfully smiled. "I'll miss her. She's really affectionate."

"Poppy is the sweetest," Yeri agreed before closing the door and walking back to Mira, who was currently occupied by a small crumb of bread on her toddler seat. "Hey, dumpling." She bent and pressed a soft kiss against her cheeks. "Daddy's here to visit you."

When Yeri looked back up, Jungkook was staring at her with the strangest expression. Suddenly uncomfortable, feeling like her soul was flayed on the wall for public display, she resorted to her usual defense and snapped, "What?" before she could stop and think. Shit. So much for the peace she was looking forward to.

But, he didn't look offended. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to Mira and quietly whispered, "Nothing much. Just that I never thought I would be hearing you say I'm her father so soon." Before Yeri could reply, Jungkook cooed in a squeaky, absolutely-ridiculous voice, "My baby girl, Mira. Guess who's here?"

Mira giggled, grabbing a Cheerio from the bowl placed in front of her and throwing it at Jungkook, who opened his mouth to catch the incoming circle.

Watching the whole exchange, Yeri, for a second, allowed herself to think of how the apartment would look like if their family was normal. Mira's room probably would've been floral themed, pastel yellow wallpaper decorated with baby pink hyacinths, white snowdrops dangling from the ceiling. (A theme inspired by their mutual love for the cottagecore aesthetic.) She and him probably would've slept in a queen bed with grand, wooden posts and a silk curtain draped around the frame, waking up at the crack of dawn to check on Mira. They definitely would've taken family walks the moment the sun becomes a sliver in the sky, casting a golden aura on their respective faces. Bedtime stories could've been a joyful combination of Yeri's favorite stories and Jungkook's delightful voice. He could also sing-

Sing.

Come to think of it, Yeri didn't know anything about Jungkook's career besides the fact that he was a celebrity. So, she had so many questions and no answers. How could Jungkook afford to disappear for two years with no income? She knew he was a popular indie singer and had a relatively big fanbase, but was that enough to sustain him? Was he still singing? Working on a new album or single? Under the same entertainment label?

But, at the same time, it didn't matter. He was here for Mira, and there was no point for Yeri to start asking personal questions.

With that thought in mind, she stopped her daydreams before they became even wilder, giving her false hope, and went to scoop the noodles into a bowl. Grabbing a baby spoon and settling in the seat next to Mira, she held the bowl out to Jungkook. "Want to try feeding her?"

Feeding a baby was such a mundane and messy task, but by the way his whole face lighted up, eyes crinkling, nose scrunching, and mouth curling into a prominent U-shape, she might as well have given him a Grammy award. "Really? I can?"

Hearts must have a mind of their own because that tiny organ of her's squeezed, even though her brain warned Yeri of the dangers of still finding Jungkook attractive. Lust led to nowhere, especially because he had long since moved on, but heartbreak and pain. Her shield rose again, and she did the only thing she could think of to appear unshaken. Rolling her eyes, Yeri snorted. "Stop acting like I'm giving you gold."

Like before, not even registering her sarcasm, Jungkook giddily took the bowl and scooped up some noodles. He stretched his mouth until it formed a perfect O and pronounced, "Ahhhhhh."

Mira poked his teeth, so he shook his head and repeated his actions. Excited at the stimulation, Mira waved her arms and copied his movement, producing the same sound, although it was choppy and gurgly with drool. Laughing, he placed the food into her mouth. Then, he moved his jaw up and down, mimicking the actions necessary to eat.

Unable to help herself, Yeri laughed. "I'm pretty sure I taught her how to eat."

A splash of red stained his cheeks as he explained, "I've never taken care of a baby, so I was afraid she was going to choke..."

Yeri laughed so hard, she almost choked on her own spit. "The noodles and vegetables are really soft, so you barely have to chew to swallow them. Don't worry about it."

The blush on his cheeks spread to his neck. (Yeri had almost forgotten how easily he could become red, ironic since he had proudly boasted his international playboy status in front of his fans.) Letting Mira have another bite, he said, "I want to learn everything about Mira."

Calming herself down, Yeri raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you doing that right now?"

Jungkook shook his head. "No. Not just about what she can or can't do. I want to know her likes and dislikes. I want to know the sounds she makes when she cries. I want to hold her hand and teach her how to walk, until I can memorize every line on her tiny palm. I want to be able to recognize her emotions just from the way her face wrinkles." He shifted in his seat to look at Yeri. "I want to be a proper father to her. I want to make up for everything that I missed out."

Well, fuck, Yeri was not expecting that speech.

Disorientated, she swallowed and blurted out the first thing on her mind. "Mira has a very loud cry. I swear it's even worse than a banshee's screech."

He grinned. "I'm positive that it'll sound like a siren's call to my ears."

Yeri snorted. As she said before, the man was made of pretty words. "So, basically, you want to be a part of our life?"

Jungkook solemnly nodded. "For every single important milestone of her life."

Leaning back, she crossed her arms over her chest. She would be lying if she said she was going to happily accept Jungkook without any personal anxiety. Mainly because Jungkook becoming Mira's father meant that Yeri would be seeing him more and more. There were so many logistics to figure out, especially since Jungkook and Yeri weren't married nor were they in a healthy relationship. What if they couldn't effectively work together and ended up arguing every second? However, once again, those were difficulties she would work out with him; Mira had no part in this.

So, Yeri said, "I'm grateful Mira has a chance to grow up with her father, but you have to make sure this is a permanent decision."

Nodding again, he assured her that he knew.

That wasn't enough, though. She leaned over the dining table, her hands forming a fist against the surface. Not blinking or wavering, she said, with all her heart poured into the next few sentences, "Mira is my everything, the best thing. I will give up my soul for her in the blink of an eye. If you decide to be her father, then you have to always be here. You can't just disappear for two years without a single word."

Guilt and agony flashed across his eyes, fleeting but prominent.

"I would rather let her grow up without a father, then allow her to think for even a millisecond that her father didn't like her enough to stay. To allow her to think she's the one at fault if you did walk out."

She paused to gather her thoughts. Once upon a time, she had promised herself to never let her children experience the feeling of being abandoned; she intended to keep that promise.

"Jungkook, this isn't a product with a return policy. It also isn't the same as you deciding to leave me because your feelings died. No, this is a choice you have to stick with for the rest of your life."

"I know" was his only response.

Sighing, she asked, "So is your choice still the same?"

Once again, without any hesitation, he nodded.

"If you pull the shit you did two years ago," Yeri warned, "I will fulfill Seulgi's threat of poisoning you. No joke."

Jungkook set down the bowl and grabbed Mira's hand, his big hands engulfing her smaller ones. Then, to Yeri's surprise, he slowly, as if asking for permission, curled his other hand around her own hand. Maybe she should've retracted her hand, but the resulting warmth and soft feeling of his skin (exactly like how she remembered it) against her palm threw her off track so fast that she froze. For a second, they sat in silence, linked to each other like a family.

"Yeri, I swear with the thirty-seven point two trillion cells that make up me," he finally said, his voice as solid as steel. "I'm going to become the best father Mira will ever know."

Stunned, Yeri only swallowed.

"Just like the best mother you are."


End file.
